


Beethoven's Fifth?

by Jelly_Jenkins



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Ficlet, Flirting, Gen, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24512779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jelly_Jenkins/pseuds/Jelly_Jenkins
Summary: A re-write of the cold open from S9E4 Before The Flood, wherein the Doctor explains the bootstrap paradox to you, with a bit of extra flirting and running about involved.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor/Reader, Twelfth Doctor/You
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57





	Beethoven's Fifth?

The Doctor pulled the TARDIS start lever, quickly, and then turned around to face you as you walked up the stairs.

"So there's this man. He has a time machine. Up and down history he goes, zip, zip, zip, zip. Getting into scrapes." He turns around, flicking a couple of switches while you circle him.

You nod, crossing your arms. "Like the Hammurabi code incident." You lean against the railing.

"Yes, which I have apologized for. Anyway," the Doctor starts running up the steps, towards the miniature library and record player. He turns briefly to motion you to follow, which you do. "Another thing he has," he continues, "is a passion... for the works of Ludwig van Beethoven. Among other things, as well." He holds your face briefly, in a manic manner, then turns and scrambles among his records for examples.

You smile, nodding again. "One day, he thinks, 'what's the point of having a time machine, if you don't get to meet you heroes?'"

"Ooh, that reminds me, we still need to meet Freddie Mercury." You interject, smiling.

"Yes," he runs around the perimeter of the circular TARDIS room, carrying his record in one hand and dragging you along by your hand with the other, "So, off he goes, to 18th Century Germany. But he can't find Beethoven anywhere. No one's heard of him. Not even his family, have any idea who the time traveler is talking about."

He lets go of your hand, tossing the record on the end table, and picking up the Beethoven bust. "Beethoven literally, doesn't exist." You both walk down the stairs, stopping at the bottom and leaning against the opposite railings.

"What happened to him? Eaten by a monster? Killed by a time terrorist? Or did you just walk about Germany shouting his name and he couldn't hear you on account of the fact that, oh, I don't know, he was deaf!" You teased.

The Doctor hugged the bust. "This didn't happen by the way. I've met Beethoven. Nice chap, very intense, loved a good arm wrestle."

He began going down the stair set that led to the lower bits of the TARDIS. You followed close behind, like a little puppy dog. "No, this is called: The Bootstrap Paradox. Google it." He raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor set down the bust, not gently. "The time traveler panics." He grabbed a hold of both of your hands, bringing you close. "He can't bare the thought of a world without the music of Beethoven."

You smile, looking at his lips. He doesn't pick up on it. "Luckily!" He whirled around, pointing upwards, and picking up several clean sheets of music. "He brought his Beethoven sheet music for Ludwig to sign. So he, copies down all the concertos, and the symphonies. And he gets them published. He becomes Beethoven."

You raise an eyebrow and slowly grow a grin on your face. "You sure this didn't happen?"

He ignores you, "History continues, with barely a feather ruffled." The Doctor grabbed his guitar. You rolled your eyes, still smiling. He flicked on the amp, turning it up far too loud.

"But my question, is this: Who put those notes and phrases together? Who really composed... Beethoven's Fifth?"

He begins playing that exact song, on guitar, obnoxiously, but a sweet gesture nonetheless. He clearly wanted to impress you. Once he was done doing whatever he wanted to do, you went up to him, cupped his face, and gave him a peck on the mouth. "Spooky..." you whispered, looking into his eyes.

"Spooky indeed." The Doctor replied, smiling that big dork smile.


End file.
